starter wrote:Hope to get some input about this. Metta to all!
Analayo wrote:Closer scrutiny of the discourse itself shows that some of the Pāli terms used in the Mahācattārīsaka-sutta’s definition of supramundane right intention, such as “fixing” (appanā) of the mind and “mental inclination” (cetaso abhiniropanā), are not found in other discourses and belong to the type of language used only in the Abhidharma and historically later Pāli texts.
"...verbal fabrications (?)..."
vinasp wrote:Hi starter,
Even though I have been studying the Nikayas for twenty years, I still do not understand MN 117.
--It might be too bold for me to comment on your understanding of the sutta as a starter who has studied it for only a couple of times; but I'll try.
"And what is the right resolve that is without asava's, transcendent, a factor of the path? The thinking, directed thinking, resolve, (mental) fixity, transfixion, focused awareness, & verbal fabrications of one developing the noble path whose mind is noble, whose mind is without asava's, who is fully possessed of the noble path. This is the right resolve that is without asava's, transcendent, a factor of the path."
Here are some thoughts, which may, of course, be completely wrong.
1. The phrase 'noble path'. Could it be that that the 'transcendent' sections are not
talking about the noble eightfold path, but about a noble path? Perhaps the noble
eightfold path is what is called the learners path (sekha), and that there is a final
section for the non-learner (asekha). This is sometimes called the 'tenfold path' and
sometimes the 'arahants path'.
--I agree with you that the 'noble path' here means a particular path (Right intention/thought) instead of the whole N8P. The section for the non-learner (who hasn't understood 4NT) is what I call the mundane path, which aims at the effacement of 10 unwholesome deeds, establishment of the 8 path factors and the understanding of 4NT. The section for the trainee (sekha, who has understood 4NT) is what I call the Noble path, which aims at the perfection of the 8 path factors leading to the fruits of Right knowledge and Right liberation ("10-fold path").
2. The phrase '(one) whose mind is without asava's'. This is very puzzling. Many
passages which seem to be describing enlightenment speak of the destruction of the
three asava's. It is usually understood that an arahant has destroyed these three
asava's, and that this represents the end of the path.
-- The Chinese translation of asavas ("leaks") can mean not only the three root defilements ("leak" for sensual desires, "leak" for being/becoming, and "leak" for ignorance), but also not intact/perfect in something -- only when something has a "leak", the "influxes" can come in and "effluxes" can go out. I'd interpret the phrase 'the right resolve that is without asava's' as 'the right resolve that is being perfected', therefore "who is fully possessed of the noble path (of right solve)".
I tend to interpret the phrase '(one) whose mind is without asava's' as '(one) whose mind is without wrong resolve (being perfected in right resolve'), especially because it's immediately followed by the phrase 'who is fully possessed of the noble path'.
Just my two cents, which could be wrong. Metta to all!
starter wrote:I believe that the Buddha's teaching on the four mindfulness was meant as part of the N8P...
What is it that this Eye of Dhamma sees? This Eye sees that whatever is born has ageing and death as a natural result. 'Whatever is born' means everything! Whether material or immaterial, it all comes under this 'whatever is born'. It refers to all of nature. Like this body for instance - it's born and then proceeds to extinction. When it's small it 'dies' from smallness to youth. After a while it 'dies' from youth and becomes middle-aged. Then it goes on to 'die' from middle-age and reach old-age, finally reaching the end. Trees, mountains and vines all have this characteristic.
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